Setting the Agenda for Science What’S in Store for Science in the Next Parliament?
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
RSCNEWS APRIL 2015 www.rsc.org Setting the agenda for science What’s in store for science in the next parliament? Our honorary fellows p8 Officially Amazing p12 More than 40 of our members attended the Big Bang Fair from 11-14 March – to educate, inform and inspire young people with their own experiences of chemistry (see more on p4). Images © Stephen Lake / Royal Society of Chemistry Our regional meetings for 2015 have come to a close. On 5 March, members in the Wales region met at Cardiff’s magnificent Millennium Stadium, complete with view over the pitch. Image © Royal Society of Chemistry The RSC Pakistan Section and the Department of Chemistry at FCC University, in Lahore, organised a conference on Medicinal Chemistry. Image © Dr Ashraf Chaudhry ’Officially Amazing’: Guinness World Record for the world’s largest practical science lesson (feature on p12). Image © NI Science Festival / Paula McManus Photography WEBSITE Find all the latest news at www.rsc.org/news/ Contents APRIL 2015 Editor: Edwin Silvester Design and production: REGULARS Vivienne Brar Contact us: 4 Snapshot 8 RSC News editorial office News and updates from around the Thomas Graham House organisation Science Park, Milton Road Cambridge, CB4 0WF, UK 6 Tel: +44 (0)1223 432294 One to one Email: [email protected] Supporting graduate members Burlington House, Piccadilly 7 London W1J 0BA, UK Profile Tel: +44 (0)20 7437 8656 Meet the winner of the inaugural Take 1…. Minute for Chemistry in Health competition @RSC_Comms 15 Opinion 10 facebook.com/RoyalSocietyofChemistry What next for forensic science in the UK? Photography: © Shutterstock (cover) FEATURES 8 Our honorary fellows Recognising the contributions that individuals make to our community 10 Setting the science agenda We ask political parties what’s in store for science in the next parliament 12 12 Officially Amazing... Our record-breaking, supersized science lesson DIARY 16 Conferences Upcoming meetings and deadlines 17 15 Events Your guide to events by region and section 21 Notices © Royal Society of Chemistry 2015 Updates from across the organisation Registered charity number 207890 22 Admissions Welcome to our newest members Snapshot A look at the latest news from around the world INBRIEF Big Bang Fair 2015 NSEC winner Educating, informing and inspiring The Big Bang Fair also hosts the finals of From 11-14 March, more than 40 members discussing their potential impacts on the National Science and Engineering of the Royal Society of Chemistry attended the environment; introduced analytical Competition. The competition is open the Big Bang Fair – to educate, inform chemistry by providing visitors with to all 11-18 year olds living in the UK and inspire young people with their own the opportunity to use an infrared and provides young people with the experiences of chemistry. spectrometer, and encouraged students opportunity to build their skills and to consider importance of structure and confidence in project-based work. With around 80,000 visitors attending, the Big Bang Fair is the largest celebration bonding by challenging them to build a Each year our members are invited of science, technology, engineering model of diamond in the quickest time to judge the entries that focus on and maths for young people in the UK. possible. chemistry, and this year the Royal Through a combination of hands-on Providing our members with the Society of Chemistry Prize was awarded activities, demonstrations and high-tech opportunity to effectively engage with to Charlotte Duff from Whitley Bay High kit, our exhibition stand was designed to newcomers to the chemical sciences is School. In her Newcastle University- demonstrate that chemistry is all around a core strand of our outreach strategy. based research project, Investigation of us and contributes significantly to the lives For more information on how you can Potential Biomarkers for Urinary Tract of us all. get involved visit http://rsc.li/take-part Infections, Charlotte tried to identify a protein that could provide the basis for a Members promoted our 2015 Global quick and easy clinical test for infection. Experiment by demonstrating the science RSC members inspiring the next of hydrogels, outlining their uses and generation at the Big Bang Fair. The judges were particularly impressed by her subject knowledge and understanding of the techniques she used and Charlotte will now receive £500 and a work-experience placement to develop her skills further. © STEPHEN LAKE / ROYAL SOCIETY OF CHEMISTRY © STEPHEN LAKE / ROYAL 4 RSC NEWS APRIL 2015 SET for Britain INBRIEF Thirty young chemists presented posters on a collaborative industrial programme An update on our at Parliament in the final of SET for Britain. between GlaxoSmithKline and the University Outreach Fund Professor Helen Fielding, from our Council, of Strathclyde. It is hugely encouraging to see the level was among the judges and said the standard Ryan Gorman, a final year chemistry PhD of interest in the Outreach Fund since of the presentations was “inspirational”. student at the University of York, got the its launch in the summer of 2014. We “Chemistry is crucial to society, playing an bronze medal. He’s researching making have received nearly 200 applications important role in energy, health, food, and drug synthesis affordable and more and awarded over £200,000 to support tackling climate change. We hope that many environmentally friendly using copper activities that help raise the awareness of more talented scientists – like these finalists catalysis. chemistry in people’s everyday lives. – have the opportunity to contribute to “I was honoured just to be selected to be Large grants society,” she added. here. There are so many fantastic posters and In the funding cycle ending 31 October there is so much great research,” he said. Yuval Elani, a Research Fellow at Imperial 2014 we awarded large grants to two College, London, said he “couldn’t be Andrew Miller MP, Chairman of the projects; Up to Your Element at the happier” as he claimed the top prize – a Parliamentary and Scientific Committee, Festival of Curiosity and A Shedload gold medal and £3000 – for his poster on said the future of British science was of Science. research developing artificial cells that mimic “in safe hands”. Our support of the Festival of Curiosity biological ones for medicinal and drug “These early career engineers, will enable the project team to integrate delivery applications. mathematicians, and scientists are the a programme of chemistry-themed Natalie Theodoulou was second with her architects of our future and SET for Britain events throughout the four day festival poster on research that focuses on the is politicians’ best opportunity to meet them in Dublin, while A Shedload of Science development of chemical tools to enable and understand their work.” is a collaboration between Glasgow drug discovery. © JOHN DEEHAN / SET FOR BRITAIN Science Festival, the University of “It’s fantastic to present Glasgow and community organisations, to so many people and which explains the contribution of the it has given me a lot of chemical sciences to society and create confidence – for my a network of researchers confident in PhD studies and for their ability to engage with the public. applying for conferences Our review panel said: “The project in the future,” said has the potential to reach some of the Natalie, who is studying most disengaged and often-overlooked members of our society and has set itself very clear aims, backed by a well- considered strategy”. Clockwise from top left: Stephen Benn, Reaching all corners Andrew Miller MP, Medium grants were awarded for a Helen Fielding, variety of projects, including interactive Angela Strank, Natalie Theodoulou, school workshops and a science Yuval Elani and comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe. Ryan Gorman. The largest of our medium grants was awarded to Dr Robyn Wheldon-Williams MRSC, to support delivery of the Flash Bang show to schools throughout Wales. Robyn said: “The show has been one Training Vouchers for EnterprisePlus of the most successful at the National Eisteddfod, engaging thousands of companies now open for applications children and their parents in Chemistry. Thanks to support from the Outreach EnterprisePlus, the Royal Society of afford to train their staff, given the Fund, we are now able to take it on the Chemistry’s service for micro, small, and uncertainties over cash flow and budgets, road to visit all corners of Wales.” medium companies in the chemical and it is hoped that the Training Vouchers sciences, has now launched the Training will help to alleviate this barrier. Apply now... Vouchers scheme to enhance CPD in its The launch of the Training Vouchers is The next deadline for application is 30 member companies. another step towards strengthening the April 2015. Following the deadline, the The Training Vouchers will provide up to Royal Society of Chemistry’s support to its fund will not reopen until September £1,000 towards the cost of a training course members for professional development: 2015, allowing us to evaluate both the nominated by a member at one of our in November we released our database of fund and the projects that we have 200 EnterprisePlus companies. This will Approved Training courses, which helps supported so far. During this time RSC enable staff member to develop the skills our members to find the high-quality Member Networks will be able to apply and competencies needed to advance their training they need. Our online CPD tool for funding to run events during businesses and their careers. is also available to members to help Chemistry Week 2015. Access to skills and training emerged as one them manage and record their skills For a list of all previous funding and of the top concerns of small businesses in and training. more details on how to apply to a recent survey conducted by the Royal More information about the Training the Outreach Fund, visit Society of Chemistry.